Chapter 10
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"What time is the ceremony?"
"In a couple of hours." Jax answered Jerry as he sat on the couch in
his towel.
"Are you ready?"
"What's there to be ready about?"
Jerry shook his head. "I forgot, everyday you get married."
"This is an arrangement Jer. But there is one thing I have to do to
make sure this...marriage goes off without a hitch."
"What?"
"Remove AJ from the equation."
Jax picked up the phone and dialed.
"Alexis."
"Hello, Alexis, you owe me."
"Jax...nice to hear from you." she said sarcastically. "Now, what do I
owe you."
"It seems AJ convinced Keesha to investigate your involvement in the
delay of Justus' will reading...and using my charms, I convinced her
not to." he lied. Alexis was silent. "Don't I get a thank you?"
"That's what Jerry was talking about.." she answered to herself.
"Jerry? See, I told him to keep it to himself...brothers. You know,
he's seen AJ as of late." Jax sat down on the couch once more.
"I suppose I should thank you. But I didn't do anything wrong."
"That's not true actually. You were incompetent in your handling of
Justus' legal affairs."
Again, Alexis said nothing.
"Alexis?"
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing...yet. I just wanted you aware, that's what friends are for."
"Since when are we *friends*. You barely talk to me any more."
"That's because Ned has ordered me away from you." Jax smiled. "How
is Ned, by the way."
"Fine. I have a meeting...Jax?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." Jax hung up the phone and stood. Alexis told Ned
everything, and once Ned suspected that AJ had tried to go after him
through her, all hell in the Quartermaine household would break loose.
AJ would be too busy to get in his and Keesha's way.
Jax turned off the lights and started towards the door. The phone rang
and he rolled his eyes, heading to it. "What Jerry?"
"How'd you know it was me?"
"Who else would it be? Make it fast, Keesha's waiting."
"How did it go?"
"My point got across."
"When will you be back...I know you told me, tell me again."
"Sunday night."
"Do you want me to spread the news."
"Only to those who you would normally spread it to...Bobbie...and...do
you have any friends Jerry?" Jax grinned.
"No, I haven't found anyone as interesting as me."
"That must be it...bye Jer..."
"Wait. One last thing."
"Yes, I know what I'm doing."
"That's not it. Be careful....but stay open."
"What in the hell are you talking about?"
Whenever Jax spoke of Keesha, it gave Jerry hope that there was a
chance that if he let it, Jax could actually care about someone again.
When Jax talked about Keesha he was so insistent that everything was
remaining all business, that Jerry knew it hadn't.
When Jax would talk abut Keesha, sometimes, all of a sudden his mind
would drift, and then *boom* he would change the subject.
Jerry could always tell when Keesha passed through the room when he was
on the phone with Jax, because Jerry found himself always having to
repeat what he said, and if Jax was speaking, he would often lose his
train of thought.
Keesha had gotten to Jax. But Jerry couldn't tell Jax what he meant
because Jax had a better chance of letting his guard down, if he didn't
know that in some ways, he obviously already had. "What was the first
thing that Pop taught us?"
"Live so you have no regrets."
"Make the most of this Jasper. Give it your all."
"I thought you said this was a bad idea." Jax said, assuming he meant
going after Sonny.
"Yeah, well maybe I was wrong. See you soon." Jerry hung up the phone.
"Great...so AJ's out of my hair." Keesha whispered as her and Jax
waited for the minister to come into the room. She looked at him.
"I'm nervous." she admitted.
"Me too."
"Oh come on, you're not nervous."
"Yeah, I get married everyday." he smiled and Keesha returned his grin.
"Mission accomplished...I feel better." she thanked him.
"From a mere smile? You're easily pleased." Jax chuckled.
Keesha continued to look at him. *Mere* smile. Nothing about Jax was
*mere*. To say he was beautiful wouldn't do him justice. He
was....indescribable. And the more time she spent with him, the more
she realized that his beauty was more than just what was seen on the
outside....
She stood and ran her fingers through her hair. "Where is he?" her
nerves started again.
Jax watched as Keesha looked down at the tip of her hair, playing with
the curls absently. She turned around and stared at him. "What?" she
asked.
He knew he should look away, but he didn't. He didn't want to, he felt
he shouldn't have to.
One thing Jax had learned as he spent more and more time with Keesha,
was that he always wanted to look at her. It was as if he could stare
at her for hours.
He could listen to her laugh for hours.
He could talk to her for hours.
"You're about ready to give me a complex." she joked.
"You look absolutely beautiful." he whispered and her breath caught in
her throat.
"Thank you." she finally managed to answer and just then the minister
walked in the room.
"...if there is anyone who feels these people should not be joined in
matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace....I now pronounce you
husband and wife...."
Jax actually had to take a breath. Just like that, he was married.
"...you may now kiss..."
Jax felt his heart stop...he was supposed to kiss Keesha now. He had
spent so much time the last couple of days fighting the urge to kiss
her, that he completely forgot he would have to.
He wasn't ready for that. He wasn't prepared. He didn't know what
would happen if he did...
"..the bride."
Keesha and Jax looked at each other. This must be so hard for him, she
thought-all sorts of things were probably running through his head. He
probably thought he'd never get married again, least of all to someone
he didn't even care for, let alone love. "Oh, let me..." she teased
for the minister.
Keesha leaned up, cupping Jax's face gently with her hands. She
stepped closer and whispered against his mouth. "Ready?"
Jax closed his eyes as Keesha's lips touched his. They were even
softer than he had imagined....he opened his mouth to hers.
All of a sudden, Keesha felt the room spin around her as Jax took
control of the kiss, tasting her slowly. She returned his kiss gently
and his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her even closer. Their
bodies touched, seeming to meld together.
Somewhere, Jax realized he was about ready to lose all control...and he
didn't even care. He felt Keesha's body shiver slightly and was about
ready to kiss her even deeper when he finally heard,
"*AHEM*." the minister tried once again to interrupt them.
Jax pulled back. "Sorry." he whispered to Keesha as he looked at the
minister once more. Keesha looked down at the ground, trying to catch
her breath, trying to empty her mind of the feel of his lips and the
desire she couldn't help but feel...
"It's obvious you two are ready to leave...I pronounce this ceremony
over." he laughed.
Jax ran his fingers through his hair. He crossed that line damn it...
The minister shook his and Keesha's hands and then asked them to leave
so he could prepare for the next wedding. Jax looked at her and she
managed a smile, reaching out her hand. He took it and led her out of
the room.
After changing into her t-shirt and shorts, Keesha left the bathroom,
and came back into the bedroom of the honeymoon suite of the hotel.
"Why do honeymoon suites seem small?" she said the first words spoken
since the ceremony.
"The bed takes up so much space. I'll take the couch."
"Okay." Keesha walked over to the bed and pulled off the comforter,
handing it to him with a pillow.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome...." she climbed into bed and pulled the cover up. She
closed her eyes and a second later she heard the door to the bathroom
close.. Keesha opened her eyes again.
"Stop." she commanded herself as she placed the pillow over her head.
Jax was *acting*. She had to stop thinking the kiss...because it would
never happen again.
She rested on the pillow again and soon she saw the light from the
bathroom go off.
It couldn't happen again. She watched as Jax came out in his t-shirt
and boxers.
"Ready?"
"Yes." Jax pulled the comfortor over himself. Keesha reached over and
turned off the lamp.
"Good night."
" 'Nite."
Keesha heard Jax turn over. After a moment she ventured a look. His
eyes were closed, he had to be asleep. He was so...
Nope. She turned around. Never again would they kiss. She couldn't
afford it.
Jax heard Keesha turn and opened his eyes, looking at her while she
slept.
Everything had felt so *real* when they kissed...
But it wasn't. He had to remember that. Granted, it was real for
him...his desire for her completely overwhelmed any rational thought he
had.
But for her, obviously it wasn't.
She was already in slumber land, he on the other hand was never going
to be able to sleep, not with her *so* close. In order to rest, his
body would have to, and in order for it to do that, he would have to
stop thinking about her.
But he couldn't get Keesha out of his head.
Shani
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